Every year around the holidays, I think about how much I love the snow, the brisk air, and even the excuse for scarves that comes with experiencing winter somewhere actually cold. Just as long as I only have to stay for a week and I can then come back to warm up in my 72-and-sunny home city.
We’ll call it being a Winter Tourist. If you’re looking for a truly wintry escape, perhaps with a little holiday magic mixed in, there are four nonstop routes out of Tampa International Airport (TPA) that make it easy and surprisingly affordable to get that dream European Christmas vacation. It’s just a bonus that you’re flying in and out of America’s Favorite Airport.
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Now, you can, of course, use these flights as connections to get you somewhere else across the Atlantic. One of my favorite vacations started with a late January flight from TPA to London that was followed by a scenic train ride up to Edinburgh and watching the snow fall in the Scottish Highlands while having medieval cities and castles practically to ourselves. Each of these cities has plenty to offer, but it’s your vacation. Be as creative as you like.
And of course, the upside to any of these is that nonstop flights make the entire travel experience easier, and usually cheaper, too. No worries about missed connections or baggage getting lost between flights. There’s just an in-flight meal and a nap between TPA and a dream vacation. Unless you already filled up on P.F. Chang’s at the airport.
Four nonstop European flights from Tampa
Amsterdam, Netherlands
One of the two locations on this list that’s significantly less crowded in winter and holidays, Amsterdam is a perfect spot to visit in the offseason. It can feel overwhelmingly busy (and hot) in the summer, but crowds abate in winter, and the city is perfectly designed for indoor activities.
The Van Gogh Museum is a must-see experience, one of several world-class museums in the city. Pair that with Amsterdam’s bustling cafe culture and historic brown bars, plus excellent public transport, and you’ll be safe from the elements the whole trip. It’s worth heading outside briefly, though, for the spectacular Amsterdam Light Festival, which lights up the city’s famous canals and fills the streets with art.
Frankfurt, Germany
This is the ultimate Christmas vacation. Even the Griswolds would be jealous. Frankfurt is worth a trip in its own right during the holidays, but the real draw here is Germany’s famous Christmas market circuit. Make Frankfurt your starting and ending point and ride by train through a genuinely magical array of cities, largely around Bavaria.
Nuremberg hosts the oldest, biggest and most famous of the markets, though Cologne is often cited as the favorite among those who visit several. Rothernburg ob der Tauber is one of the most well-preserved and beautiful medieval towns in Europe, and while it’s small, it’s worth a night and is a popular stop on the market circuit. Munich, meanwhile, is a city I would move to tomorrow. Lit up in the splendor of the season in the foothills of the Alps… sign me up. And those are just four of the many options.
London, England
Another city that’s significantly less busy during the winter, London is a great pick for January or February if you don’t mind the cold. The prices are shockingly low for flights and hotels alike, while the lines for any attraction you want to see (London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, shows on the West End) are almost nonexistent.
The city of course is busier during the holidays proper when people have time off, but otherwise it’s a great offseason travel option. You’ll be doing plenty of walking to combat the cold (which is only moderate, thanks to its ocean proximity), plus you’ll be spending hours indoors, anyway, exploring things like the Churchill War Rooms and the genuinely jaw-dropping British Museum.
Zurich, Switzerland
Last alphabetically but perhaps No. 1 on the list, Zurich is basically the dream destination for winter and snow lovers. The city itself is amazing during the holidays, with huge Christmas markets of its own to rival those of Germany. The city center is filled with lights, ice skating, a historic children’s train, and all the fondue, raclette and Swiss cocoa you could dream of.
Meanwhile, Zurich is the perfect hub for winter sports. Some of the best skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing and even snowshoeing in the world is right outside the city in the Swiss Alps. And after a day of putting your body through work on the slopes, you can recover in Zurich’s natural spas, thermal baths, or even a cold-water swim in the lake.
